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In an updated edition with a new chapter, just in time for Stephen Hawking's 75th birthday, Kitty Ferguson looks at one of the most remarkable figures of our age—bestselling author of A Brief History of Time, celebrated theoretical physicist, and an inspiration to millions around the world -- with fresh insights into the way he thinks and works, his ever-more-imaginative adventures in science at the “flaming ramparts of the world,” the discovery of gravity waves, the blockbuster proposal for “Starshot” to explore the cosmos, and his increasingly powerful use of his celebrity on behalf of human rights and survival on earth and beyond. With rare access to Hawking, including childhood photos and in-depth research, award-winning author Kitty Ferguson continues to create a rich and comprehensive picture of Hawking's life: his childhood; the heartbreaking ALS diagnosis when he was a first-year graduate student; his long personal battle for survival in pursuit of a scientific understanding of the universe; and his rise to international fame. Ferguson uses her gift for translating the language of theoretical physics into the language of the rest of us to make Hawking's scientific work accessible. This is an insightful, absorbing, and definitive account of a brilliant mind and the extraordinary life of a man who at seventy-five is as up-to-date as tomorrow.

Kitty Ferguson has been writing and lecturing about science and scientists for over two decades, making the language and concepts of physics and cosmology understandable for audiences without a scientific background. Her 1991 biography of Stephen Hawking, written with his encouragement and help, was an international best-seller. She was a consultant for Hawking's book The Universe in a Nutshell. Kitty is the author of seven books including The Fire in the Equations and The Music of Pythagoras. She has also been interviewed by Forbes Magazine, PBS, "News Hour with Jim Lehrer," and the BBC. She lectures widely in North America, and her appearances have included the Goddard Space Flight Center, the Hayden Planetarium in NYC, The Nobel Peace Prize Forum, and many universities. Kitty and her husband divide their time between Cambridge, England and South Carolina.